Willard f



(No Model.)

W. P. RICHARDS. GAR BUFFER.

NTTED STATES `PATENT firmen.

VILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE COULD COUPLERCOMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-BUFFER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,209, dated April14, 1896. Application filed February 28, 1896. Serialll'o. 581,191. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful lmprovement in Car-Buffers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of carbuffers which are designedmore particularly for freight-cars and which comprise, essentially, abase-plate secured to the end sill of the car and having aforwardly-projecting socket, a tubular follower guided in said socketand having a closed front end which forms the buffer-head, and light andheavy buffer-springs arranged concentrically in said socket and hollowfollower.

My .invention has for its object to provide simple and inexpensive meansfor preventing complete withdrawal of the follower from its socket andfor holding the same against turning therein, so as to avoid excessivewear of the parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of myimproved buffer. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof inline 2 2,Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a face view of the buffer, with one-half thereof shownin cross-section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the base-plate, which is secured to the outer side of the end sillof the car and which carries the horizontal socket B, projectingforwardly therefrom.

C is the tubular follower or sleeve sliding in the socket B and closedatits front end to form the buffer-head C, while its inner end is open.

D is the light bufferspring arranged in the socket and the follower andbearing at its ends against the base-plate A and the head or front endof the follower in the usual manner.

opposite sides with projecting longitudinal ribs or tenons f, whichengage in longitudinal grooves g, formed in the adjacent inner wall ofthe socket B, whereby the follower is prevented from turning in thesocket, but permitted to slide freely therein. The grooves of the socketare preferably formed by hollow enlargements G, arranged lengthwise onthe outer side of the socket and opening into the latter. 4

I-I represents keys or stops which limit the outward movement of thefollower, so as to prevent the entire withdrawal of the same from thesocket, and which pass transversely through slots or openings g', formedin the hollow enlargements G, and through longitudinal recesses f,formed in thefollowerribs f. These recesses form stop-shoulders f2 onopposite sides of the keys H, which shoulders strike the keys at eitherextremity of the movement of the follower. The keys preferably consistof short straight bars of wrought iron, which are bent at their endsafter being inserted in the openings of the enlargements G, so as toretain them in place. This means of preventing turning and withdrawal ofthe follower is very simple and cheap, as the only parts which areseparate from the socket and follower are the keys, the ribs and groovesbeing cast integrally with the socket and follower, respectively.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a base-plate adapted tobe secured to the end of a car and having a forwardly-projecting socket,provided with an internal longitudinal groove, of a tubular followerguided in said socket, closed at its front end and provided on its outerside with a rib or tenon engaging in said groove, a key extendingtransversely through the longitudinal groove of the socket and limiting`the outward movement of the follower, and a buffer spring or springsarranged in said socket and follower, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a base-plate adapted to be secured to the end ofa car and having a forwardly-projecting socket, provided on its outerside with a hollow longitudinal enlargement forming a groove which opensarrangeclin said soeketund follower, substaninto the socket, of atubular follower1 guided tially as set forth. ro in said socket, closedat its outer end, and Witness my hund this 25th clay of Febru-4 providedon its outer sicle With a longitudinal ary, 1896.

rib engaging in said hollow enlargement, and VILLARD F. RICHARDS. havinga recess, a key passing transversely Witnesses: through said hollowenlargement and the re- JNO. J. BONNER,

cess of said rib, and a buffer spring or springs ELLA R. DEAN.

